bad boy
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A male criminal.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
An undesirable or difficult task.
Register: slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
Meaning · English
A powerful or impressive product or item.
Register: slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “bad boy” mean?
A male criminal.
Is “bad boy” formal or informal?
bad boy is generally slang.